Extensible car-step.



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. A. ARNT.

EXTENSIBLE CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, m5.

co UMEIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, D.'C.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

A. ARNT.

EXTENSIBLE CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1915.

1,172,188 Patented Feb. 15,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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m5 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'Q FFIQE.

ALFRED ARNT, OF BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIB, BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF T0 EDWARD HENDRICKS, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN.

EXTENSIBLE CAR-STEP.

License.

Application filed July 7, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED ARNT, a citizen of the United States,residing in Bainbridge township, in the county of Berrien and State ofMichigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Extensible CalSteps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in extensible car steps and hasparticular application to a manually controlled step.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide anextensible car step which may be used in conjunction with the usualstationary steps so that an additional step may be provided whenevernecessary to facilitate the descent of passengers from the platform ofthe car and the ascent of passengers to such platform.

It is also my purpose to provide an extensible car step wherein the stepwill be normally held in elevated or inactive position against thebottom of the lowermost stationary step, and which may be readily andquickly lowered to an active position whenever desired or necessary.

A further object of my invention is to provide an extensible car stepwherein the step may be securely and effectively locked in elevated orinactive position and wherein the component parts of the locking meanswill be so arranged and correlated as to reduce the possibility ofderangement to a minimum.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the construction,

combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in andfalling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevationof a railway car platform equipped with an extensible step constructedin accordance with the present invention, the step being shown inlowered position. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view throughthe same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view approximately I on theline 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line i4tof Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the operatingmeans and the locking mechanism therefor.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 designates a set of stepsdepending from Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Serial No. 38,515.

the platform of a railway car and of any suitable or approvedconstruction. Fastened to the outer surfaces of the side members of thesteps-are casings 2, 2 respectively, each comprising side walls 3, 3spaced apart in parallelism and front and back edge walls a, a. Slidablymounted within each casing 2 and adapted to be moved into and out of thecasing through the'lower end thereof is a'rack bar 5 and connected withthe lower extremities of the rack bars 5 is an extensible step 6. In thepresent instance, the teeth of the rack bars 5 face the rear edge walls4 of the respective casings and formed on the rear edge walls of thecasings and projecting rearwardly therefrom are casing extensions 7 inopen communication with the respective casings2, 2 and journaled in theside walls of the extensions 7 is a shaft 8, while keyed upon the shaft8 and disposed within the respective extensions 7 are pinions 9 meshingwith the rack bars 5 and adapted to elevate the rack bars when the shaft8 isrotated in one direction to move the extension step 6 up against thebottom stationary step, and to lower said step 6 to active position whenthe shaft is rotated in the opposite direction.

In order to limit the downward movement of the step 6 and hold the stepagainst accidental movement when ocoupied, the rear edges of the rackbars 5, below the teeth thereon, are formed, with outwardly projectinglugs 10 respectively that are adapted to engage lugs 11 on the rear edgewall of the casing in the path of movement of the lugs 10. Also formedon the rear edges of the respective rack bars above the rack teeththereon are lugs 12 adapted to be engaged by the adjacent teeth of thepinions when the step is lowered to cause a binding action between therack bars and pinions, the teeth on the pinions engaging the lugs 11acting to force the forward edges of the rack bars into engagement withthe front edge walls 4 of the casings 2 so as to augment the action ofthe lugs 10 and 11 and so insure the step against accidental downwardmovement.

Keyed upon the shaft 8 is a bevel pinion 13 meshing with a similarpinion 1 1 fast upon the lower end of a vertical shaft 15 journaled insuitable vertically alining bearings 16. The upper end of the shaft 15terminates in a casing 17 fastened to an appropriate part of the carbody and journaled in the casing 17 at right angles to the shaft 15 is ashaft 18 upon which is secured a bevel pinion 19 meshing with a similarpinion 2O on the shaft 15 so that when the shaft 18 is rotated a likemotion will be imparted to the shaft 15 and so rotate the shaft 8 tomove the extensible step. of the shaft 18 is a crank disk 21 adapted tobe rotated by hand to revolve the shaft 18. The rear face of the crankdisk 21 is disposed in confronting relation with the adjacent end wallof the casing 17 and formed in such face of the crank disk is a recess22, while fixed upon the top wallof the casing 17 is a guide frame 23 inwhich is slidably mounteda bolt 2%. Surrounding the bolt 2% is anexpansion spring 25 having one end bearing against one end wall of theframe and the remaining extremity abutting a collar fixed upon the bolt24:. This spring acts to throw the bolt 2% normally to locking positioninto the recess 22 to lock the crank disk 21 against movement and sohold the shafts 18, 15 and 8 against rotation and the step 6 in elevatedor inactive position.

27 designates a bracket mounted upon'the upper *all of the casing 17 andfulcrumed upon the bracket '27 is a lever 28 having the lower endpivotally connected with the rear end of the bolt and the upper endequipped with a handle 29. By means of the lever the belt may be retacted from the recess 22 to release the crank disk or hand wheel 21 andwhen the hand wheel or crank disk is relieved of the influence of thelocking bolt, such disk may be rotated to lower the step.

iVhile I have herein shown and described one preferred form of myinvention by way of illustration, 1 wish it to be understood that I donot limit or confine myself to the precise details of constructionherein described and delineated, as modification and variation may bemade within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Fixed upon the outer end I claim:

1. The combination with a set of steps, of an extensible step below thebottom step of said set capable of movement toward and away from thebottom step,casings secured to the side members of said set of steps,rack bars slidably mounted within said casings respectively and havingthe outer ends thereof connected with said extensible step, pinionsmeshing with said rack bars, means for r0- tating said pinions to lowerand raise said step, lugs on said rack bars respectively below the teeththereon, lugs in said casings in the path of movement of thefirst-mentioned lugs and adapted to be engaged thereby to limitthedownward movement of the rack bars, and lugs on said rack bars above theteeth thereon adapted to be engaged by the adjacent teeth in saidpinions when said rack bars are in lowered position to produce a bindingaction between the pinions and rack bars to augment the action of saidfirst lugs and prevent accidental downward movement of said step whenoccupied.

2. The combination with a set of steps, of an extensible step normallyin engagement with the under surface of the bottom step of said set andcapable of movement to'lowered position, means for lowering and raisingsaid step, a vertical shaft for operating said means, an operatingshaft, driving connections between said operating shaft and vertical.shaft, a crank disk on said vertical shaft having one face thereofformed with a depression, a spring actuated locking bolt normally inengagement with said depression to hold said crank disk against turningmovement and said step elevated, and a lever connected to said lockingbolt and.

operable to retract the bolt against the action of the spring.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V ALFRED ARNT. Witnesses F. L. HAMMonD, M. MURPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioneref Patents,

Washington, 13.6. I p r

